Loose-leaf binder.



PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906.

.W. M. WHEILDON. LOOSE LEAF BINDER. APPLICATION FILED IEB,15.19v06.

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W Q5555 aw No. 835,340. PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906.

W. M. WHEILDON. LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 15.l'90G.

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V'WILLIAM M. WHEILDON, F BOSTONflVIASSACHUSETTS, 'Assieuonor ONE-HALF To mMooKwme er; surnEaLANn/oF- BOSTON, MAS- SACHUSETTS.

' LOOSE-LEAF BIN ER.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. WHEiL- DON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suflolk'and State of Massachusetts, have invented new V and useful Im rovements Loose-Leaf Binders, of whic the following is a specification.

My invention relates to loose-leaf binders; and it consists in sundry mechanical improvements whereof the object is to facilitate the'manufacture and simplify the operation of loose-leaf binders.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of'one embodiment of my invention. Fig: 2 is a lon itudinal elevation of Fig. 1, also partly same.

bro en away. Fig. 3 is a cr0ss-secti0n of Fig. 2 along the line 3 3. 3 is a crosssection similar to Fi 3, but s owing a modified form ofleaf-hol ingbinder-arches. Fig.

4 is a plan view of the upper spring-plate;

Fig. 4*, an end view of the same. Fi 5 is a plan viewof the lower spring-plate; ig. 5, an end view of the same. Fig. dis a longitudinal elevation of the joint-piece; Fig. 7, a cross-section of the same. Fig. 7 a is a modified form 0 loose-leaf binder, partially broken away. A Fig. 11 is a longitudinal elevation of Fig. 10, also partially broken away. Fig. 12' is a cross-section of Fig. '11 along the line 11 1-1; and Fig.'13 is a cross-section similar to Fig.- 3, showing a modification of the structure.

The loose-leaf binder which embodies and expresses my improvements is of that class in which the binder-arches consist of hooks, which are movable laterally to be separated or brought together in the course of use.

- In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive,

the frame or back of the binder consists,-pref erably, of two spring-plates A A, though,-if desired, a sin le spring-plate may be employed. The Iower or outerplate A, which may be secured by eyelets or rivets in the p i Specification of Letters Batent.

Application filedl'ebruary 16, 1906. Serial-No; 301,204.

.gether.' If, however,, all of the blan Fi 10 is a top plan view of a modi Patented Nov. 6, i906.

usual-way to a book-back, is made of springmetal, longitudinally cylindrical in curvature, or channeled, and marginally flanged.

Apertures a a are provided for the accommodation of the hook portions of the binder arches. The upper spring-plate A is formed similarly to the plate A, but has slightly greater width, so that the marginal flanges of the plate A may be readily sprung over the:

edges of the plate A, so as to secure the'two plates together. The plate A is provided with apertures a which when the two plates are-assembled, register with the apertures a,

the two sets of apertures forming ports through which-the hook portions of the binderarches may work. The binder-arches in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9 are made of sheet metal, are interchangeable, and readily separable from or assembled inthe com-. plete binder. In Fig. 8 there is shown in planone of the blanks from which the sheetmetal binder-arches are formed. This blank has the hook portion B and the base B, the

entire blank being T-shaped. It is' always] desirable to have the ends of the opposed binder-arch hooks engage each other mutually, and ordinarily one of apair of binderarch hooks is pointed and the other recessed, so that the point and recess fit 'closel f 0 which the binder-arches. are formed were recessed or all pointed, it is obvious that when paired their ends would not engage each other suitably. I therefore form each hook portion B of my binder-arches with serrations, whereof the indentations 6 correspond in location, size, and shape with the dentations b so that when the binder-arch blanks are bent into shape and opposed the dentation of one will fitinto the indentation of the other. I have shown the hook part B as pro- .vided with one indentation and one corresponding dentation. Of these the number,

of course, might be increased so long as there be an equalnumber. of each.

When the binder-arches are bent into final shape, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the edge I) of each base Bis adapted to. bear against the inner side of the marginal channel of the spring-plate A and the edges 1) of opposed binder-arches approach but do not quite reach each other. The ho6k portions B are. inserted in the marginal apertures a a, described above. Between the base parts of abutments for the base parts B, provided,

the latter were suitably proportioned for the purpose. The 'ointpiece O xtends from endtoend ofxthe spring-plates A A and is accessible at its ends, short handle-pieces (1 being provided whereby-the joint-piece may be manually operated and pushed up or down, its movements and relative position with respect to the spring pl'ates A A determining the opening or closing of the binderarches, the base parts of the arches acting to'gglewise and the spring-plates exerting their stress to hold the arches either open or closed, as the case may be. The joint p'iece C is longitudinally removable from between the base parts B of the binder-archesthis movement being facilitated by pressing the two spring-plates together slightly, so as to relieve the joint-piece of their spring stress. Then after the joint-piece is removed the upper spring-plate A may readily be sprung out of engagement with the lower plate A, when the hinder-arches may be freely and easily rc1noved.

In Figs. 10, 11, and 12 I have shown a modification ol this invention wherein a single spring-plate is used and bent-wire binderarches are provided in place of the sheet-mctal binder-arches above described. The spring-plate A 'shown in Figs. 10 and 11 is struck up with a central longitudinalroll or rib A and flat lateral wings which constitute the spring-plate A ltself, these wings bemg marginally channeled. .The bmderarches are formed of wire, the arches in this case being not universally interchangeable,

as'one set is pointed and the other notched. The bases B are formed by bending thewires of'which the binder-arches are composed as shown, making a base transverse to the hookportion B, the bases having each api'outer bearing part b and an inner bearing part h. The joint'piece C is struck up of sheet metal and double-channeled at c. The plate A is notched or apertured at a to accommodate the hook portions of the binder-arches. Back plates D D are provided wherewith to secure the book-back and covers which may be required, the inner plate D being riveted or eyeleted, as at d, to the joint-piece C. The

means for manually operating this form of loose-leaf binder are embodied in the rib or roll'A which may be easily grasped by separating the leaves on the binder-arches 7 the arches themselves.

and pressed downward. The downward movement in response to this pressure springs the base parts B of the binderarchcs togglcwise and opens the hook parts B. When it is desired to close the hooks, any pair of the hooks themselves may be grasped and forced together, or the spring plate A may be pulled up, the operator grasping the rib or roll A or the rod A may be secured inside the roll or rib A and extend therefrom at the ends of the spring-plate A, so as to be readily grasped and manually operated.

The binder-arches composed of wire, as in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, may be interchanged for the flat metal binder-arches shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, S, and 9, suitable changes in the apertures a a being made for the accommodation of the wire binder-arches. In Fig. 3" there is shown in cross-section a loose-leaf binder having wire binder-arches such as described in connection with Figs. 10, 11, and 12, but otherwise constructed as described in connection with Figs. 1, 2, and 3'.

UQually I believe that th friction hold of the binder-arch base-pieces upon the jointpiece will besuflicient to retain the latter in position in the binder; but in order to guard against any possible displacement I have contrived a modification shown in Figs. 7, 7 and 7 wherein the joint-piece C is illustratcd as T-shaped in cross-section and pro vided with a slot 0. The binder-arches as shown in Fig. 7 are notched, as at b, the full. width of the binder-arch base-piece being slightly greater than the length of the slot 0, Fig. 7 and the lip remaining between the notches I) being of broader dimensions to fit within the slot 6. In this construction shown in Fig. 7 b the binder-arch base-plates abut against each other and are supported by the joint-piece (Land under the normal condition of assemblage of the parts the binder-arches themselves prevent any longitudinal movement of the jointpiece. If it be desired to employ a joint-piece of this character with wire arches, the slot 6 would merely have to be of slightly-different dimensions, as shown in Fig. 7, where slot 0 is large enough to admit-the base portions of the wire binder-arches, such as shown in Figs. 10,11,and12.-.

Heretofore, so far s I amtware, universally-interchangeable binder-arches have not been employed in the manufacture of loose leaf binders, nor have binders of tho-togglej'oint arch class been operable b y-- direct-manipulation of either of'the two parts which constitute the pivotal; abutments for the;

toggle-joint. WVhen theloose-leaf binder is full, it is especially unhandy to operate the binder-arches to separate them by grasping Moreover, the ready assemblage and separability of the several parts of the above-described loose-leaf bind er render the same extremely easy to assemble, dismantle, or repair. What I claim is- 1. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of a spring-plate, binder-arches, binder-arch.

base-plates, a double-channeled joint-piece, and manually-accessible means to change the relative position of the spring-plate and joint-piece.

2; In a loose-leaf hinder, the combination of a spring-plate, interchangeable binderarches, each consisting of a hook part and a base transverse thereto, the bases forming a togglejoint to hold the hook parts either open or closed under the stress of the springplate.

3. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of a spring-plate, interchangeable binderarches, each a separate T-shaped piece hav ing a hook part and a base part transverse thereto, the bases forming a toggle-joint to hold the hook parts either open or closed under the stress of the spring-plate.

4. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of a spring-plate, binderarches, binder-arch base-plates, a double-channeled joint-piece, extending from end to end of the spring-plate and accessible to manual operation to change the relative position of the spring-plate and joint-piece.

In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of a spring-plate, interchangeable binderarches, each a separate T-shaped piece having a hook part and a base transverse thereto, the ends of the hook parts identically serrated, with an indentation to match each dentation, the bases forming toggle-joints to hold the hook parts either open or closed under the stress of the spring-plate.

6. In a looseleaf binder,the combination of a spring-plate, binder-arches, binder-arch base-plates, and a double-channeled jointpiece between the binder-arch "base-plates,

extending from end to end of the springplate, said joint-piece movable horizontally between the binder-arches, andaccessible at the ends.

relative position of the joint-piece and upper spring-plate.

8. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of an upper spring-plate, a lower spring-plate,

each spring-plate channeled marginally, the

channels ofi one embracing the channels'of the other, apertures in the spring-plates to admit binder-arches, interchangeable binderarches, each having a hook part and a'base transverse thereto, a double-channeled jointpiece, between the binder-arch bases and eX- tending from end to end of the spring-plates, the spring-plates being separable and the joint-piece longitudinally removable, and also accessible at the ends, under normal conditions, to move the binder-arch bases togglewise.

9. In a loose-leaf hinder, the combination of a spring-plate, interchangeabledetachable binder-arches each having a hook part and a base part transverse thereto, a joint-piece having slots to admit theabutting edges of the binder-arch base parts, and means, at tached to the joint-piece, and manually accessible, to change the position of the joint piece and spring-plate respectively.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 7th day of February, 1906.

WILLIAM M; HE1L oN. 

